Yours Truly, a Friend
by HuesoftheMorning
Summary: Nozomi knows well of friendships lost, but it's time she learned of friendships gained. A simple letter from thousands of miles away can be the start of everything. NozoNicoEli
1. Prologue

**This is the start of my second multichapter fic. Chapters will be longer after this.**

 **(the *heart* is because FFnet doesn't allow me to use a less than sign, for some reason. Just imagine Nozomi drawing a heart)**

* * *

 **Prologue**

* * *

 _Dear Toujo-san,_

 _Apparently we have been designated as 'pen-pals', as per instructions from my Japanese teacher. I do not believe this is necessary, as my Japanese is clearly impeccable, but I suppose I will oblige her for this one letter. A response to my letter is needed for proof that I have made my correspondence with you, but after that I expect little to come from this venture._

 _I suppose I might as well introduce myself. My name is Ayase Eli, I'm 13 years old, and I'm a ballet dancer. I live with my grandmother and younger sister, Arisa. My parents are traveling around the world performing in ballet shows. I don't have any pets._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Ayase._

* * *

Nozomi read the letter three times, tapping the desk with her pencil all the while, then smiled and began to write.

* * *

 _My Dearest Ayase-san,_

 _Hello! My name is Toujo Nozomi, though I assume you already know that. It doesn't hurt to say it again though, does it? After all, we're going to be friends forever. It simply wouldn't do to forget each other's names._

 _Let's see…. I enjoy waking up to sunny mornings, I'm an amateur tarot card reader, I like to take pictures, and I can't dance to save my life. I can speak Japanese and English, but I've never tried learning Russian before. Perhaps you can teach me someday. In return maybe I'll read your fortune? I'm highly sought after for my love fortunes, ya know!_

 _This pen-pal project is so you can improve your Japanese, right? Well, I better tell you how you did then! I'd say…. 9/10. Good job! It looks like your Japanese truly is 'impeccable'._

 _Lots of love,_

 _Nozomi (heart)_

* * *

Nozomi slipped the letter into the envelope, sealed it with a star sticker, and mailed it out the next morning. It was raining, the clouds dark gray and water slopping over rooftops. Raindrops bounced off Nozomi's umbrella as she walked to school, listening to the other schoolgirls chattering with their friends.

She lived in apartments close to the school, a welcome change from her last half hour commute. Many other students lived in the same complex, but despite walking with them every morning she knew only a handful of names. There wasn't really a point, was there? Three months and she would be moving again. The date was already set. Before she knew it, this town and its school and her one sort-of-friend would be a distant memory.

"Yo. Toujo."

An elbow shoved in her side brought Nozomi's attention back to the present. A girl was standing next to her, red eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Oh, Nico. Sorry, I must have spaced out." Nozomi gave a sheepish grin. Nico rolled her eyes, sticking her arm through Nozomi's and pushing her aside until she was under the umbrella too. It was only then that Nozomi realized Nico was soaking wet, a torn plastic umbrella dangling from one hand. Her pigtails were flattened down by the water, red ribbons limp and soggy. Frustration was practically flowing off the girl, and Nozomi couldn't help but comment on it, even as she raised the umbrella to cover Nico's extra height.

"Bad luck today, hmm?"

"Shut up."

"You know, if you let me tell your fortune, I could have predicted this."

"Sure, sure, you and your mystical powers. What'd your cards say today, huh? Anything about how I'm gonna to fight the science teacher for failing me on that test?"

"Maybe you should have studied."

"Like you're one to talk."

Nico fell into a sulk, grumbling about evil teachers and how famous idols didn't need to study. Nozomi hummed at appropriate places, her mind wandering again. Out of habit, her hand reached into a pocket and pulled out a tarot card. The card was still crisp, colors bright.

The words written on the bottom in elegant black ink read "The Fool".

New beginnings, new opportunities, new adventures.

Nozomi rested her head on Nico's shoulder and filed the thought away for later.

* * *

 _Dear Toujo-san,_

 _Excuse me? A 9/10? Pray tell what my mistake was. There was no error in that letter, and I'm insulted you thought to have found one. I showed my teacher a copy of the letter and she said there was no issue. Perhaps it is you who should be taking lessons._

 _But…_

 _My teacher did say that my letter was 'too formal'. So consider this an amendment to the previous letter: I like studying different languages. So far I know Russian, Japanese, English, and am learning Hebrew. I admire the field of photography, though I've never had much luck with it myself. I spend most of my time reading or doing work. I absolutely adore chocolate._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Ayase Eli_

* * *

Interesting.

Of all the letters Nozomi had sent, of all the pen-pal promises she had made with friends, this was the first letter she had ever gotten back.

Very interesting indeed.


	2. Chapter 1

Quick note I forgot to mention: This fic will eventually lead to NozoNicoEli, but will focus on the individual pairings first. Also yes, when they were 13 Nico was the tallest. This didn't last long.

* * *

 _Dear Nozomi,_

 _Happy birthday! I know it's not much, moving between countries really is hard on the wallet, but I hope you enjoy your gift. It's not caramels this time, I promise! You said you're finishing up a photoshoot with friends today, correct? Are you going to celebrate at all? You cooped yourself up in your room all of last year, you know I'm going to yell at you if you do the same this time._

 _I'm just about ready for Japan. I bought plane tickets for the beginning of next week. I don't know how you do it, moving around so much. It's probably less scary than I'm imagining it to be, but I can't help but be nervous. Remember to send your next letter to my new address, all right? We haven't missed a letter in ten years, we can't start now._

 _Happy Birthday again!_

 _Yours truly,_

 _Eli_

* * *

"And… smile!"

The shutter clicked close, capturing the scene. Nozomi took one more, just to be sure, chewing her lip as she analyzed the picture for flaws. Finally she nodded her head, stepping back from the camera and giving a thumbs up to the three girls.

"Looks good! We're all set then, you guys can relax."

"Fiiiiiiiiiinally!" Honoka fell backwards onto the prop bed, arms spread wide. Next to her, Umi shook her head at the display, closing her book and getting gracefully to her feet.

"Be more professional, Honoka, this is a job."

A series of moans and grunts were her response. Kotori giggled, patting Honoka on the shoulder and calming Umi down. Nozomi smiled at the commotion, then turned her focus away from the conversation so she could pack her equipment. Camera, tripod, lens cap, filters; all sorts of things went into the bag, each neatly wrapped and put in place.

It was an interesting job, working with the three models. An unlikely group of friends in the first place, and their origin story was even odder. Kotori, the fashion designer, spending hours designing and redesigning and sewing the clothes. Umi, the manager, keeping track of finances and schedules and publicity. And then there was Honoka. She didn't have much to offer, hadn't even gone to college, and yet she seemed to be the leader of the trio. Sometimes Nozomi wondered why. At the very least, she was good comedy relief.

"Hey, hey, Nozomi-chan!" And there she was now, bounding over from the set with her friends following slowly behind. Nozomi zipped up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder and turning to look at Honoka.

"What's up? Something wrong?"

"No, no, not at all!" Honoka shook her head vehemently. "The three of us were gonna go out to this new restaurant that opened up, and we were wondering if you wanted to come!"

Nozomi froze. The other two voiced their consent, urging her to accept the offer; they'd treat her, it wouldn't take long, they've been working together for months they should hang out- Nozomi forced herself to breathe again. She gave a stiff smile, hoping it appeared genuine.

"Ah, sorry… I appreciate the offer, but I'm busy tonight."

"Awwww, really?" Honoka pouted. "Are you sure you can't come?"

"You can't just ask her to change plans on a whim, Honoka." Umi scolded Honoka again, but even she looked disappointed.

"What about tomorrow?" Kotori asked. "Or perhaps the day after? We're flexible."

"I'll think about it," Nozomi said, and left the conversation.

* * *

The modeling project was a six month deal. Nozomi had been out of work at the time, experimenting with selling landscapes instead of freelance, when Umi called her up out of the blue. She had gotten Nozomi's name from someone at the university, she had said, and had been impressed with her work. Nozomi accepted the deal immediately. She hadn't expected friendship to be a part of it.

Six months of shooting, each with a different theme to highlight the life of a college grad: casual business, casual partying, casual every day clothes, casual beach outfits, and now sleepwear. Five months down, one to go. Nozomi had grown to enjoy the trio, laughing at their antics and offering advice when she saw fit. She wrote down stories of their adventures so she'd never lose the memories, making sure to save the best ones to send to Eli. She imagined Eli laughing at them, and wondered what it would be like to laugh together.

There was mail waiting for her at the apartment. Nozomi caught a glimpse of Eli's neat handwriting on the manila envelope before stuffing it under her arm to unlock the door. It was filled with a dozen small chocolates, she learned, laying down on her couch and dumping them out. There was a gift card too, the letter itself, and a paper star. Nozomi smiled at the origami; it was made out of a purple paper, the number 480 written on it with golden ink.

It had been that long, huh? They had started exchanging paper stars early on in their letters, numbering them all to keep track. When they got to a big number, Nozomi had said, she was sure something special would happen. Eli had scoffed at the idea, but it was clear the care she put into each fold. Nozomi tossed the star into the air, watched it spin, and caught it in the palm of her hand. It would go in the jar later to join its siblings, but for now she set it on the table and turned her focus to the letter.

 _Dear Nozomi,_

 _Happy birthday! I know it's not much…_

The letter left Nozomi with a mix of feelings. That seemed to be the trend lately, and a troubling one at that. When before the letters had given her laughter and warm thoughts, they now gave her apprehension and worry. Nozomi rolled onto her back, raising the letter above her head and reading through it again.

Eli was coming to Japan. She should be excited, Nozomi told herself. Her best friend of ten years was finally going to be near. Sure, they would be living over two hours away, but that seemed like nothing compared to being countries apart. They'd both be busy with work and the other burdens of adult life, but there was no doubt there would be time to meet. And what would Nozomi do then?

It was one thing falling in love with a person she only spoke to through mail. Feelings could be hidden, words carefully chosen and expressions never seen. Meeting in person would change everything, and Nozomi wasn't sure she was ready. For now she took solace in the fact that she was working with Honoka's group. They took pictures several times a week as Kotori altered and remade clothes, throwing new ones into the mix all the time. Then there was editing, which took up most of Nozomi's time; so for now, she had an excuse not to meet with Eli.

Nozomi's phone buzzed in her pocket. As if knowing her thoughts, Honoka had chosen that moment to plead one more time for dinner. Now she was bribing Nozomi with barbeque, and Nozomi laughed softly at the attempt. Those girls paid more attention than she had thought. But it wasn't enough to sway her. They weren't friends, not really, and there was no reason to accept—

 _you know I'm going to yell at you_

—The paper star with its golden ink seemed to shine under the light, catching Nozomi's eye as she sat up to the respond to the text. Eli's words echoed in her head and Nozomi found herself bound, unable to move. Unable to breath.

 _It's probably less scary than I'm imagining it to be…_

With shaking fingers, Nozomi tore her gaze away.

* * *

"…And that's the story of how Umi-chan and Honoka-chan got together!" Kotori smiled and clapped her hands together. Umi was sitting next to her, face bright red and eyes scrunched tight as if that would help her hide from the embarrassment. It didn't seem to be working. Honoka didn't seem to have a hint of shame, nodding as she stuffed her mouth with more food.

"Yef! If was greaft!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Umi murmured, unable to stop herself from commenting. Honoka swallowed her food and stuck her tongue out at her girlfriend. Nozomi locked eyes with Kotori and they both laughed.

"That was a fantastic story," Nozomi said, "I never would have expected Umi to do something like that."

"I know, right? Usually it's shameless this and shameless that… but she can be really dashing sometimes!"

Umi groaned. Honoka had pulled out her phone to show pictures of the event, explaining them in vivid detail. The music, the flowers, the bathing suit; Nozomi could hardly believe what she was seeing.

"And this all started because of a horoscope?"

"Yep!"

"Hmm, maybe I should expand my fortune telling then. I never had much interest in horoscopes, but if this is what they can do…"

Not that Nozomi would abuse fortune telling like that, of course. At least, not very often. But the statement was enough to make Umi groan again, and Nozomi smiled at the poor girl's misery.

"Oh, you do fortune telling?"

"Mmm, it's a trick I picked up back in primary school." Nozomi fished out a tarot card from her pocket, flashing it for the girls to see. She kept them on her at all times, usually to play with if she was bored, occasionally to perform tricks for little kids getting restless on the train.

"Woah, that's so cool!" Honoka leaned in closer to see the card, Kotori following suit. Even Umi raised her head at the words, glancing suspiciously at the card.

"Can you tell our horoscopes then? I'm a virgo. Ah, if that's okay, of course! No pressure." Kotori looked a bit guilty at the sudden request, but Nozomi just smiled and nodded.

"Let's see..." Nozomi pulled the rest of the cards out of her pocket and laid them out on the table. It had been a while since she had done any sort of horoscopes, and to tell the truth she thought they were a bit silly. Still, it took no effort to flip some random cards over and piece together a message. "You're going to be part of something great soon. Perhaps not directly, but you will help it along."

"Ooohhhh..."

The three girls looked at Nozomi in awe.

"That's really cool, Kotori-chan! Maybe you'll help find the next president!"

"I think you mean prime minister... But I'm sure it's not that big. I'd be happy just doing something small."

"Are we sure this is even true?" Umi asked. "Not that I don't trust you, Nozomi, of course I do, but horoscopes are a little..."

"I know what you mean." Nozomi scooped up the cards, shuffling them with ease. "But I think they can be fun once in a while, don't you?"

"I suppose..."

"Hey, hey, Umi-chan! You should have Nozomi-chan read your horoscope!" Honoka bounced up and down at the idea, ignoring Umi's glare.

"I think I've followed horoscopes enough, thank you very much!"

"Aw, poo, you're no fun. What about me, then, Nozomi-chan? I'm a leo!"

"Of course." With a sweep of her arm, Nozomi laid out more cards across the table. She flipped them over one a time, humming to herself and tapping her chin as if thinking a great deal. "It looks like you're going to have a lot of fun very soon, but only if you give in to your inner desires. Otherwise the opportunity might pass you by."

"My inner desires...?"

"I'm pretty sure Honoka's only inner desire is to eat more bread."

Honoka gasped at Umi's comment. "Is the opportunity a bread shop? I want to own a bread shop! Umi-chan, can we buy a bread shop?"

"We're models, not bakers!"

"Aw, but, but..."

Honoka pouted, looking at Umi with pleading eyes. Umi turned away, refusing to give in. Kotori smiled at her friends' actions before turning to Nozomi.

"So what about you, Nozomi-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"What's your zodiac sign?"

"Oh, I'm a gemini." The answer came out automatically; Nozomi didn't even realize her mistake until Kotori's eyes lit up.

"That means your birthday is soon!" Kotori clapped her hands in delight, catching the attention of Honoka and Umi. "When is it? We have to celebrate!"

With three pairs of eyes all focused on her, there was no way Nozomi could get out of this situation with a lie. People said that her fortune telling was magic, but she was certain these girls would pull even more supernatural feats if she tried.

"It's… today, actually."

Silverware clattered as Honoka shot up from her seat, slamming her hands down on the table.

"What!? This is great news! We have to celebrate, and get a cake, and balloons, and all sorts of stuff!"

"That's not really necessary-"

"Oh, I know! I'll go get the waitress and tell her, I'll be right back!"

Honoka dashed away, leaving Nozomi to the concerned and curious Kotori and Umi. They asked her why she hid her birthday, and she could hear the hurt her deceit had caused. All she could do was shrug, hoping they would accept her apology.

It was a whirlwind affair after that. A cake appeared, topped with colorful candles, and then it was gone; Nozomi was dragged to a nearby shop for a gift, forced to try on dresses under the scrutinizing gazes of three models. Then there was wine, pink cheeks and a fruity taste lingering on her lips. Finally she made it home, the apartment loud in its silence. There was a slight buzzing in her head as she collapsed into bed; she attributed it to the alcohol. That was the cause for the warmth running through her body, too, she told herself. But those thoughts didn't hold a candle to the contentment that lulled her to sleep.

* * *

 _Dear Eli,_

 _I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I spent my birthday evening in amicable company…_

The half written letter lay next to the pile of hastily bought wrapping paper from the night before. Scissors sliced easily through the paper, careful fingers making neat folds and creases. The four hundred and eighty first star was metallic blue, the numbers white like clouds on a sunny day. Nozomi set it on top of the letter and went to work.


	3. Chapter 2

I asked people on tumblr what to write over winter break and they requested another chapter of Yours Truly, a Friend. I'll make an attempt to write more, and eventually finish the story, but I can't make any promises.

* * *

 _Dear Eli,_

 _How's Japan treating you so far? Two weeks in, and surely you're a pro already! How is it? Are you finding your way around okay? Has anything exciting happened yet? Are you remembering to take your shoes off when you get inside? That's important, ya know! As for me, I'm nearing the end of my current project, I'm sad to say. I'll miss the girls when it's over. And I guess I'll have to find a new job, huh? The trials of adulthood never end._

 _It's strange, though… I feel like I'm right on the edge of something. The edge of a cliff, perhaps? And it's a long way down to the bottom, but there's a bridge I could take… I just have to be brave enough to take that first step. Or maybe I've already fallen? Maybe I've caught myself on a ledge, unable to move, and there's a hand reaching out to me from above. Should I take that hand, and risk slipping and falling farther, or should I stay where I am, stuck but safe? Surely the reward for getting out must be far greater than the risk._

 _What do you think? Have you ever felt this way? Is my imagination getting away from me?_

 _Lots of love,_

 _Nozomi *heart*_

* * *

Eli liked to think of herself as someone who was composed, someone who could adapt flawlessly to any situation with grace. She had cultivated that persona for years, holding her head high and hiding all traces of bewilderment she might feel when the world throws her for a loop. She had mastered the art of it all – or so she had thought.

"I've been to Moscow a hundred times," she muttered under her breath, "I shouldn't be this lost in a city."

Eli glared at the gps on her phone, then spun in a circle and glared at the buildings surrounding her. People pushed past her on all sides, chattering away; cars flew down the road; even the wind whistling through the tall buildings was deafening. It near overwhelmed Eli, and the knowledge that this was a quiet time of day terrified her.

Already, Eli was missing her quiet life in her small Russian village. Sure, there was nothing to do there, and she had long grown tired of seeing the same faces day in and day out, but at least she could _breathe_. Even when she managed to find her way back to her apartment, she wouldn't be able to block out the noise.

"Oh my god, you're gorgeous," a voice said.

Well, Eli wasn't a quitter – except sometimes, when she was, but that was in the past, and she wasn't going to be like that anymore – and she was simply going to have to get used to it. She just needed some time, is all.

"Hey, do you have a map?" the voice continued. "Cause I think I'm lost in your eyes."

"Oh." Eli finally noticed the young woman standing in front of her. She was short, even for the Japanese, and she wore a bright smile that Eli felt she could trust. What had she said? Everyone spoke so fast here – was it something about being lost? That must be it. "Ah, yes, I've gotten a little turned around. Would you mind giving me directions?"

The woman looked surprised for a moment – had Eli said something wrong? – but she bounced back instantly. "Oh, you're new here! That's great! I'm Yazawa Nico, just Nico is fine, and I'll be your tour guide! I'll show you alllllllll the wonders of Japan, don't you worry."

Nico hooked her arm through Eli's, who for the first time in years found herself unable to keep up with what was happening, and pulled her down the street.

"So! European, right? You've got to be, with those blue eyes. What country? My first guess was France, but you don't sound French, at least I don't think so. German maybe? Russian? What other countries are over there… Ukraine? Norway? Chile? Wait, no, that's one of the Americas, isn't it? I was never very good with geography. Hey! Have you ever thought about dancing?"

Eli gaped at Nico. What had she gotten herself into? At least Nico's barrage of questions had been said at a slower pace than before, and once Eli pulled herself together she realized she had managed to understand it all.

"Yes, I'm Russian, but I'm actually more Japanese than Russian, it's just been a while since I've been here…" Fifteen years, to be exact. Eli had planned on coming back sooner, possibly for high school, but life got in the way, and now she barely remembered anything about the country. "And I used to dance, but not anymore."

"Perfect! I knew it the moment I saw you!" Nico nodded to herself, as if acknowledging what a genius she was. She dragged Eli into a random building, sat her down at a table, disappeared, and returned a few moments later with two steaming cups of something in her hands. Nico moved fast, slipping around people and darting through the crowds, and between watching her and breathing in the smell of coffee that filled the small café, Eli was almost dizzy. She took the cup Nico handed her gratefully.

"I forgot to ask what you like," Nico said, "so I just got hot chocolate, because who actually likes coffee? I mean, my friend Maki does, but she's a med student and I think an addiction to coffee is required for graduation, so she doesn't count. Also, what's your name?"

"Elizaveta Alexandrovna," Eli said, sipping her hot chocolate and grimacing as it burned her tongue. Nico gave her a blank stare and Eli sighed. Right. Japan. "Eli in Japanese. Ayase Eli."

"Cool. What're you doing in Japan, Eli? Visiting? Moving?"

"Moving. I graduated university a year ago, but I couldn't find any interesting work back home, so I thought I'd try here. Plus…" Eli hesitated a moment, then continued on. "I have a friend here, we've been sending each other letters for years, and it'd be nice to finally meet in person."

"What, you two were pen pals or something?" Nico scoffed at the idea. "That's stupid. This is the twenty-first century, we have phones and webcams. Use those and you can find out someone's abandoned you after a week, instead of waiting 3 months for a letter that will never come."

"What?"

"Anyway!" The odd darkness that had clouded Nico's eyes vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and she was back to her sunny and dazzling self an instant later. "When are you going to meet this mystery friend of yours?"

"I don't know… We haven't really talked about it yet."

"Seriously? Come on! How long have you two been friends?"

"About ten years."

"Ten years! And you're not racing down the streets to throw yourself in their arms? What kind of friends are you?"

"Well… It's kinda nerve wracking, isn't it?" Eli gave a sheepish grin. "I like to think I know her pretty well, but talking in person is a lot different than writing. And what would we do? We've never had to… _do_ anything together before."

"You could see a movie? Go bowling? Go to an arcade? An amusement park? Take a walk through the park? Go to the beach? See touristy stuff? Go-"

"Okay, okay, I get it! There's lots of things to do!" They laughed together, and Eli felt her nervousness ease, just a little.

They left the café a little while later, Nico leading the way to Eli's apartment. She pointed out various landmarks that Eli tried her best to commit to memory, and talked nonsense the rest of the time. Eli had tuned her out by the end of it, which she felt bad about, but it was exhausting going from Japanese class once a week to full immersion with native speakers. She needed a nap.

"And ta-da! Home sweet home, right?" Nico gestured to the apartment building, which Eli was slowly beginning to think of as hers.

"Yes, thank you Nico. You were a great help." Eli made her way to the door with relief, Nico following a few steps behind.

"So, hey, Eli, you want to go out with me?" Nico asked, and Eli paused on the threshold.

Did she? She supposed it wouldn't hurt to have another friend here, especially one in the area. Somehow, she got this feeling that hanging around Nico could lead to more trouble than it was worth, with her impulsive actions… but Eli had had fun, and moving to a new country meant taking risks, didn't it?

"Alright," Eli decided. "Message me if you want to meet up, then. My job doesn't start for another couple weeks, so I should be free whenever."

Nico grinned, raising her hands up in some weird pose. "You got it!"

* * *

 _Dear Nozomi,_

 _I ran into the oddest person the other day…_

Nico's words kept spinning around in Eli's mind. There was no doubt about it: the correct course of action was to ask Nozomi to meet up. She couldn't imagine Nozomi saying no, and surely they would be able to find _something_ to do. Still, there was that fluttering of her heart that came up whenever she read one of Nozomi's letters, or whenever she looked at that jar slowly filling up with paper stars, and it made her hesitate.

Eli folded the 484th star, finished the letter, and didn't write anything at all about getting together.

* * *

Eli's phone buzzed early in the morning, and she groaned as she opened her eyes to sunlight. Buying curtains was moving up in her priority list. A fan, too, she decided, as she spotted the blanket lying on the floor. She had vague memories of kicking it off during the night, unable to deal with the heat. The phone vibrated again, and Eli fumbled through the clutter piled on her night stand until she found it.

11:03 am, the screen read. Not that early, then, and she couldn't use jet lag as an excuse anymore. Well, she was technically on vacation, so she was allowed to sleep in. Eli yawned and pushed herself into an upright position.

 _"It's your favorite up and coming idol, Nico-Nii!"_ the message read, _"I compleeeeeeeeeeeetely forgot to ask you something important the other day. Think you can find the coffee shop again and meet me there? You won't regret it, I promise!"_

The gps said the café was a 20 minute walk. Eli gave herself an hour to hunt down the place, and prided herself on getting there in 45 minutes. She bought a chocolate latte and sat down at the same table as before. Nico walked in a short while later, looking almost dressed up in her pink blouse and doodle-print skirt. It was a cute look.

"You actually made it!" Nico said, dropping herself in the chair. "I'm surprised. I thought I'd have to rescue you again."

"I'm not completely hopeless."

"Yeah? How long did it take you?"

Eli took a sip of her drink instead of answering and ignored Nico's smirk. "Anyways, what was that important question you had?"

"Oh yeah! You said you knew how to dance, right?"

"I did, but…"

"What about singing? You have any experience with that?"

"Not really, no."

"Well, that's fine. Your accent is a bit thick, but your voice is nice, so there shouldn't be any problems."

"Wait, problems with what? What are you talking about?"

"My idol group, of course!" Nico said it with such confidence and energy that Eli almost nodded in understanding before she realized that she still had no idea what Nico was talking about.

"Your… idol group? You mean, like a celebrity?"

"Sure. But idols are better, and a whole lot cuter! I'm aiming to be the number one idol in the entire universe! Me and my friend Maki are forming an idol group together. We're going to debut soon, but we're looking for one more member first. That's where you come in!"

"What? Hold on-"

"You said you're free for a couple weeks, right? That's plenty of time to catch up on the dance moves, and we're almost done with the song, and then we can find time to meet outside of work. Of course, once we make it big, we'll have to practice full time, so don't get too attached to your job, okay?"

"Wait, wait, I haven't agreed to anything yet. Why are you picking me for this?"

"Uh, because you're hot? And you just have that talented look about you, too. I've got a sense for this stuff, you know! I can see it now," Nico said, stars in her eyes, "your face on magazine covers, the headlines crying out about the new foreign star, Ayase Elizabeth-"

"Elizaveta."

"Same thing?"

"As same as Nico and Nicole."

"That's kinda cute, actually."

Eli sighed heavily. "Nico, I appreciate the offer, but I'm not interested in joining your idol group."

"Aw, come on. Why not?"

"Because… because I have enough stuff to do right now, and I'm going to like my new job, and I haven't danced in over eight years and I'm not planning on starting again."

"Why not?" Nico asked again, and this time she had a more serious look in her eyes. Still, Eli wasn't about to open up to someone she had just met, new friend or not.

"It's complicated," Eli said, and met Nico's suspicious look with a firm one.

"Well, fine," Nico decided after a moment. "But you'll still come with me to meet Maki, right? I told her I was bringing you over, and she'll make fun of me if I don't."

"I suppose that's fine, just meeting her…" Even as Eli said it, she had a nagging feeling that she should be saying no. The more distance she put between herself and dance, the better, and this was getting to close for comfort.

"Awesome!" Nico jumped out of her chair, full of energy. "Let's get going then!"

Eli shook her head helplessly and followed Nico out the door. What had she gotten herself into?

"So, our group," Nico started, leading the way down the street. She grabbed Eli's hand as they walked, and Eli almost jumped at the contact. Nico didn't seem to notice. "Right now, we're thinking of calling our group BiBi. It doesn't really mean anything, but it sounds pretty cool, right? We've got that one song I mentioned mostly done, and I'm writing lyrics for a second one. Maki's the musician, except she only plays piano, and who's ever heard of a classical music idol song? No one, that's who, so I've been helping her play around with some fancy music software. It sounded pretty terrible at first, but I think we've finally gotten somewhere! And of course, dancing is easy. Maki could use a little more enthusiasm though. She's kinda bland sometimes."

"Uh huh," Eli said, still distracted by Nico's hand. Was this what friends in Japan did? Hold hands as they walked down the street? She had so much more to learn than she thought. Normally she'd be bothered by it, but… it was kind of nice, actually. For some reason, it made her think of Nozomi. Is this what Nozomi would do, when they finally met up? Eli still felt a pang of regret for her inaction. Next letter, for sure, she would ask.

Nico didn't let go of Eli's hand until they reached their destination. She led the way through the building, past classrooms filled with tired looking students. It was Maki's university, Nico explained. She had gotten permission from the school to use the auditorium for a couple hours every few days, which was much nicer than Nico's cramped apartment.

"Sounds like she's already here," Nico said, hearing the faint music floating down the hallway. They found her at the base of the stage, completely at home on the grand piano, playing like the rest of the world didn't exist. They listened quietly, Nico with impatience and Eli with awe at the beauty of it. Maki hit the last few notes with a lingering sadness for the end of the song, and the music faded away. She ran her fingers silently over the key before turning around.

"You're late," Maki said, throwing Nico an annoyed look before turning to Eli. "And you're the new member Nico is dragging into this mess?"

"Yes. I mean, no, I'm not joining your group, I just came because Nico wanted me to meet you, or something…" Eli paused, glancing between Nico's smirk and Maki's disinterested look. "I'm Ayase Eli, by the way. Your piano playing is marvelous."

Maki's whole expression changed at the compliment, mouth dropping open and eyes widening. She forced her surprise into a frown, but she couldn't hide her red cheeks. She coughed, turning away and playing with a lock of hair. "Er, thanks. I'm Nishikino Maki."

Nico laughed. "Oh, man, this is going to be fun. Hey, Maki! Why don't we show Eli our song? Give her a taste of the idol world!"

"Do we have to? I'd rather do singing warm ups first."

"That's boring, I don't want to. Oh, yeah, speaking of boring things – you find a producer yet?"

"How is that boring? We can't do anything without a producer. And yes, I think so. My friend says she knows someone."

"Your giiiiiiiiiiiiirlfriend, you mean?"

Maki turned truly red at that, standing up and stomping her foot. "She's not my girlfriend, stop saying that!"

Nico practically cackled at that, and even Eli wanted to laugh at the childish display, though she hid her smile behind her hand.

"Anyways!" Nico said, setting up the speakers she pulled out of her bag, "let's do that song."

"Fine," Maki growled, "but just one run through. Then we're doing warm ups."

"Sure, sure. Whatever you want." Nico hopped on stage and gave Eli a bright smile. "Here's the deal, okay? You said you're not going to dance again, and that's fine. I'll respect that. But you didn't say that you didn't _want_ to dance again, so I'm guessing that, maybe, deep down, you actually want to keep going. I could be wrong! But if you truly don't want to dance again – prove it. If you watch us dance, and you don't feel any urge to join us, then I won't bug you about it anymore. But if you _do_ feel that urge, if I see you tapping your foot or singing along – you have to join us. Got it?"

The speech was the last thing Eli expected. She would have to join them? If she showed any enjoyment in their performance, she would have to join them? There was a heat growing in her chest, and as she pushed through her shock, Eli realized she was angry. She'd met Nico three days ago; this was their second interaction; how dare Nico try and control her life? What gave her the right? Eli had quit ballet because she was a _failure_ , through and through, and that was never going to change. She would never be good at dancing. She would never get better. That's the way it was, and as much as it hurt, it would hurt even more to pretend there was hope. Did she want to keep dancing? Of course she did. Of course. There was nothing she wanted more in the world, and Nico was treating it like a joke. Like Eli was hiding that desire away because she was scared. Like her soul could be bargained with.

Eli glared at Nico, fists clenched, fury burning in her blue eyes – but Nico didn't back down. And for some reason, once again, Eli thought of Nozomi:

 _Maybe I've already fallen. Maybe I've caught myself on a ledge, unable to move, and there's a hand reaching out to me from above… Surely the reward must be greater than the risk._

 _Surely the reward…_

 _Have you ever felt this way?_

The anger drained out of Eli.

"Alright," she said softly, collapsing into a front row chair, "You have yourself a deal."


End file.
